


Hard Candy Christmas

by Angelfish2603



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F, Humor, well i tried being funny anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 11:55:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17043275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelfish2603/pseuds/Angelfish2603
Summary: Serena Campbell had a secret.





	Hard Candy Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Serena and I share an addiction in this one. Also, totally and completely ignoring canon throughout.

Serena Campbell had a secret. A shameful secret that she managed to hide from everyone, including her partner.  

Everyone thought they knew her so well. She was the no-nonsense co-lead of AAU, vascular surgeon extraordinaire, Shiraz maven, and undisputed queen of one Berenice Wolfe's heart. 

Her love of the holidays was well-known and wide-spread. She was the one who organized the hospital ugly sweater contest, the holiday caroling, the toy drive, and even the bake sale. She decorated trees, put up fairy lights, took down the mistletoe that Fletch and Raf stuck over her desk (Bernie helped with that after Serena received kisses from half the male staff and all the female staff on their floor, and Ric Griffin got caught under it with her when he came down for a consult). 

But what no one expected, least of all Bernie, was Serena's complete and utter inability to stop herself when it came to eating candy canes. 

The first Christmas they spent together, Bernie noticed that lack of candy canes in with all of Serena's other holiday cheer. Serena had ignored her, pushing a cup of mulled wine into her hand and showing her the decorations that she had from her childhood. Their children argued in the background, with Jason progressively turning up the sound of the Doctor Who Christmas special, and they kissed under the mistletoe. 

The second Christmas was spent quietly in France, skyping Bernie's kids and Jason, all of whom accepted that Serena would not be very cheerful. She and Bernie had ended up sitting by a fire, snuggled up watching holiday movies, and pointedly ignoring the fact that Bernie was leaving after the new year for Sudan. 

This Christmas was different. This year, they were home, back at the hospital, and the kids would be there. Jason, Cameron and Charlotte had all agreed to Christmas at their house. Serena had gone all out, in an effort to reclaim some of her former enjoyment of the holiday. The house was decorated, the tree stood proudly in their sitting room, and Serena had baked a number of Christmas treats. 

Bernie bought candy canes. 

At first, Bernie didn't notice the number of candy canes slowly dwindling down. She had hung them on the tree and thought no more about it. Then she realized that of the twenty-four candy canes she had purchased, there were six on the tree. 

"Jason?" Bernie asked, studying the tree while Serena worked late. Jason looked up from his crossword puzzle book, folded his hands on the coffee table and waited. Greta was working, he had Guinevere, who was napping in her crib upstairs, and they were having dinner with Bernie. "What do you think happened to the candy canes I bought for the tree?"

"Someone must have eaten them."

"Yes but eighteen candy canes in four days?" Bernie looked over at him, and he shrugged. "Jason?"

"Yes, Auntie Bernie?"

"Did you eat any of them?"

"No. I don't like peppermint," He replied, seriously. Bernie nodded. 

"That's right. I'd forgotten, I apologize."

"It's all right."

"Well if you didn't eat them, and I didn't eat them, then Serena must have eaten them," Bernie said, quietly. Jason chuckled. 

"Auntie Serena likes sweets in the form of pastries, not candy," He answered Bernie's lifted eyebrow rather condescendingly, Bernie thought. 

"There is no other explanation."

"Perhaps she doesn't like them on the tree." Jason reasoned. "Or one of the Fletchlings ate them. You did have the whole lot over for dinner two days ago."

"I counted the candy canes this morning because it looks a little lacking, and there were ten. Now there are six." 

"Auntie Bernie, why don't you just ask Auntie Serena?" Jason asked, getting to his feet as the sound of Guinevere waking up came through the baby monitor. Bernie crossed her arms, reviewed the tree again as he climbed the stairs for his daughter.

"Serena?" Bernie murmured, half asleep as she felt someone crawl into the bed behind her. A husky chuckle made her smile sleepily. 

"Were you hoping for someone else?" Serena teased, snuggling against Bernie's back, her one hand resting on Bernie's hip. Bernie shook her head, yawned. 

"Just glad you're home safe, love. Late night," Bernie mumbled, fuzzy and warm with Serena in bed. Serena nuzzled closer, a hand slipping beneath Bernie's pajama top to rest on her belly.  

"RTC and a late trauma call. Handled, but it put me back a few hours. Go back to sleep, darling." Serena leaned in, kissed her cheek softly before settling back behind her, her nose nestled into the soft hair at the nape of Bernie's neck. "Love you."

 "Love you," Bernie mumbled, closing her eyes and falling back asleep, warm and happy. She didn't even notice the faint hint of candy cane on Serena's breath. 

The next morning, Bernie noticed all the candy canes were gone. 

Bernie was humming a Christmas carol under her breath as she headed back to the office from theatre. Her last operation had gone extremely well, ended quicker than expected, the patient was in recovery, and she was done for the holiday. Serena had finished before her, but had stayed to complete paperwork so that they could both enjoy the holiday off. Bernie smiled as she spotted the back of Serena's head through the window, Serena typing rapidly as she entered her notes. Bernie swung the door open and froze. Serena looked up at her, half a candy cane in her mouth. Bernie closed the door, leaned back against it with a smirk. 

"Candy. Cane. Thief." Bernie said, pointing at Serena, who flushed. "You've been taking the candy canes off our tree and eating them!" 

"Bernie." Serena pulled the candy cane from her mouth, licked her lips. "I can explain."

"Darling, why didn't you just..."

"I never buy candy canes." 

"But you..."

"I have zero self control when it comes to them. I can't explain it. I don't particularly care for sweets, you know that. If I'm going to have the calories, it's going to be my wine." Serena stood up, smiled at the nod of acknowledgment from Bernie. Her breath was heavy with peppermint and sugar. "But candy canes are my weakness. I can't help it. Ever since I was a child, I have adored them. My mum refused to buy them after a while because I once ate a whole box in a day. I haven't gotten any better as I've gotten older. I have eaten thirty candy canes in six days." 

"Holy shit." Bernie frowned then. "Wait, I only bought twenty-four."

"I took the ones from the AAU tree,” Serena admitted, shyly. "The last of them are in my desk." Bernie bit her lip, peered at Serena from beneath her fringe. Serena looked so ashamed, so disappointed in herself that Bernie just burst into laughter. Serena frowned at her, at the loud, honking laugh that spilled out of her. 

"Oh God, I'm sorry, Serena. It's just...you ate thirty candy canes in six days. How are you not sick of them yet?"

"I don't know." Serena smiled, giggling a little. "That's why I don't buy them. I will eat the whole box."

"This is so ridiculous." Bernie laughed, pulling Serena into a hug. Serena nestled against her, popping the candy cane back into her mouth over Bernie's shoulder. 

"Mmmm." Serena mumbled, sucking the sweet. Bernie trembled as Serena cuddled closer, her free hand sliding under her scrub top, cool against the warm skin of her back. She felt Serena toy with the hook of her bra. 

"Serena." Bernie's voice was a bit rough, a warning. 

"Yes?" Serena purred, sucking the candy cane, her voice warm in Bernie's ear. 

"We're at work." 

"Then let's go home." Serena pulled back, beamed up at Bernie, who snagged the candy cane out of Serena's mouth. "HEY!" The protest died on Serena's lips as Bernie sucked it into her mouth, her tongue running over the candy. Serena swallowed hard as Bernie licked the candy cane slowly. Bernie removed the candy cane, handed it back to Serena, then leaned into to kiss her partner before she could start eating it again. Serena wrapped herself around Bernie, groaning lowly at the taste of Bernie and candy canes. Bernie heard the candy cane fall to the floor as she buried her hands in Serena's hair, fingers tight in the greying locks as Serena eagerly slipped her tongue between Bernie's lips. 

As her tongue chased the peppermint in Bernie's mouth, Serena realized that perhaps she liked candy canes most of all when they tasted of Bernie. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I should point out I've never eaten that many candy canes in so few days, but I have eaten at least one a day since the start of the season. Usually it's like two or three a day. I love them, but only peppermint ones.


End file.
